Refrigeration apparatus



May 11, 1965 v; s. FOR l5 REFRIGERATION APPARATUS Filed Feb. '6, 1963 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig-l.

mvem'o Victor G- Foris WITNESSES ATTORNEY I May 11, 1965 v. G. FORIS 2REFRIGERATION APPARATUS Filed Feb. 6, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.2.

United States Patent 3,182,902 REFRIGERATION APPARATUS Victor G. Foris,Los Angeles, Calif., assignor'to Westinghouse Electric Corporation,Pittsburgh, Pa., a corpu ration of Pennsylvania Filed Feb. 6, 1963, Ser.No. 256,685 I Claims. (Cl. 230-235) This invention relates generally tomotor-compressor units, such'as for example, those used in domesticrefrigerators and air conditioners and more particularly to such unitswherein the motor-compressor is resiliently suspanying drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view taken along line II of FIG. 2showing the casing of a motor-compressor unit employing the presentinvention, the motor and compressor being shown in elevation and aportion thereof being broken away;

'FIG. 2 is a plan view of the motor-compressor and casing with the endcover omitted;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary,'vertical sectional view showing oneof the supporting members shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 3,looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; and

FIG. 5 is a detail view similar to FIG. 4, but with the springdisassembled from the bracket.

Referring to the drawings, especially FIG. 1, there is shown a verticalshaft motor-compressor unit disposed in a fluid tight casing 11. Theillustrated motor-compressor unit 10 is of the reciprocal type havingits shaft vertically disposed. As the motor-compressorunit may be of anytype, further detailed description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

The casing 11 comprises atubular wall 12 having a circular wall 13closing its lower end and a circular cap 14 for closing the upper end.Outwardly extending flanges 15 are located at the outer surface of thewall 13, and are provided with holes 16 through which bolts or otherattaching devices may be inserted for securing the casing 11 to asuitable support.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the motor-compressor unit 10 is shown supportedin the casing 11 by a plurality of spring assemblies 17, each disposedsuch that the axis 18 of the spring 19 is located radially with respectto the casing.

In the present embodiment, three spring assemblies 17 are employed insupporting the unit 10, however, it will be appreciated that the numberof assemblies used could vary with the type of spring and size of theunit to be sup- 1 ported.

For a more detailed description of the spring assembly 17, referenceshould be had to FIG. :3 wherein a spring assembly is shownconnectingthe motor compressor unit 10 to the tubular wall 12 of the casing 11. Inthe embodiment shown the spring assembly 17 comprises a conical-shapedhelical spring 19 and a spring-supporting bracket 20. The conical spring19 has a straight portion 19a formed at the inner end thereof and anouter end 3,182,902 Patented May 11, 1965 wardly and is so constructedas to provide an interference fit with the outer end coil 21 when thelatter is positioned therein.

A circular hole 24, formed in the unit 10, is threaded internally, andso disposed asto threadedly receive the straight portion 19a of thespring 19.

With the cap 14 removed from the casing 11, the motorcompressor unit 10is assembled in the casing in the following manner. The brackets 20 arelocated on the inside of the tubular wall 12, and may be attached byspot welding or any other suitable method. While the unit 10 is locatedoutside the casing 11, straightportions 19a of the springs 19 arescrewed into the internally threaded holes 24. The straight portion 19aof each spring 19 may be of a length slightly less than the depth of thehole 24 so that it need not bottom in the hole.

The unit 10 may now be lowered through the top opening in the casing 11,to a position where each spring 19 is radiallyaligned with, and disposedabove, a bracket 20. By further lowering the unit 10 into the casing 11,while guiding the end coils 21 into the pockets 23, the unit will cometo rest with each coil 21 positioned in a corresponding pocket as shownin FIGS. 2 and 4. The unit 10 is thereby attached to the casing 11solely by the springs 19, each having its inner end substantially fixedagainst rotation by engagement in the threaded hole '24, and its outerend substantially fixed against rotation by engagement of its end coil21 in the pocket 23 of the corresponding bracket 20.

It will be apparent that when subjected to the weight of themotor'compressor unit, the springs 19 will be deflected or deformeddownwardly, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, but will maintain the unit inspaced relation to the casing 11 at the bottom as well as at the sides.The springs will deflect circumferentially, within limits, to permitlimited rotation of the unit relative to its casing at starting andstopping of the motor. v

The use of a small diameter outermost coil at 21 serves to space theadjacent largest coil of the. conical spring a sufficient distance fromthe casing 12 to insure that the largest diameter coil does not engagethe casing upon occurrence of maximum deflection of the spring, whichoccurs upon starting of the motor. Such contact of the spring with thecasing could, if permitted, produce an objectional sound.

The assembly is completed by the addition of circular cap 14, which maybe secured by welding or other fastening means, to provide a fluid tightcasing.

It will be recognized that the objects of the invention have beenachieved by providing an improved arrangement for resiliently mounting amotor compressor unit in a casing, which arrangement comprises radialspring supports, having their ends substantially fixed against rotation.

Further, the spring assemblies are easy and inexpensive to manufactureand are so designed as to facilitate mounting of a motor-compressor unitin a casing.

While the invention has been shown in but one form, it will be obviousto those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but issusceptible of .various changes and modifications without departing fromthe spirit thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A hermetically sealed compressor comprising a cylindrical, fluidtight casing having a vertical tubular wall,

a vertical shaft motor-compressor unit disposed therein,

and means for supporting said unit in said casing,

said means including a helical spring disposed between said tubular walland said unit,

said spring having its axis located radially with respect to saidtubular wall and having one end substantially fixed against rotation atsaid unit,

and a bracket for supporting the opposite end of said spring, saidbracket being attached to the interior of said tubular wall, and havinga vertical facing pocket adapted to receive a coil of said spring ininterference fit, whereby said spring is substantially fixed againstrotation, said spring and said bracket thereby serving to resilientlysupport said unit in the vertical direction in saidcasingi 2. Ahermetically sealed compressor comprising a cylindrical, fluid tightcasing having a vertical tubular wall,

a vertical shaft motor-compressor unit disposed therein,

and means for supporting said unit in said casing,

said means including a plurality of helical springs disposed betweensaid tubular wall and said unit,

said springs having'their axes located radially with respect to saidtubular wall,

a plurality of circular holes in said unit, said holes having helicalgrooves formed therein for threadedly receiving one end of said springs,

and a plurality of brackets for supporting-the opposite ends of saidsprings said brackets being attached to the interior of said tubularwall, and each having a vertically facing pocket adapted to receive acoil of said springs whereby said springs are substantially fixedagainst rotation, said springs and said brackets thereby serving toresiliently support said unit in the vertical direction in said casing.

3. A hermetically sealed compressor as set forth in claim 2, furthercharacterized by said helical springs being conical in shape and havingstraight portions'formed opposite the base ends,

said straight portions being received in said circular holes in saidunit.

4. A hermetically sealed compressor comprising a cyflindrical, fluidtight casing having a vertical tubular wall,

a vertical shaft motor-compressor unit disposed therein,

and means including a plurality of helical springs disposed between saidtubular wall and said unit,

said springs having their axes located radially with respect to saidtubular wall,

a plurality of circular holes in said unit, said holes having helicalgrooves formed therein for threadedly receiving the inner end of saidsprings,

a coil at the outer end of said springs formed of lesser diameter thanan adjacent coil,

and a plurality of brackets for supporting the outer ends of saidsprings, said brackets being attached to the interior of said tubularwall, and each having a vertically facing pocket adapted to receive saidouter end coil of said springs, whereby said springs are substantiallyfixed against rotation, said springs and said brackets thereby servingto resiliently support said unit in the vertical direction in saidcasing.

5. A hermetically sealed compressor as set forth in claim 4, furthercharacterized by said helical springs being conical in shape and havingstraight portions formed opposite the base ends and said smallerdiameter coils formed at the base ends,

said straight portions being received in said circular holes in saidunit.

= References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,233,082 2/41Kucher 230-235 X 2,349,845 5/44 Cody 230-235 X 2,417,037 3/47 Zuckerman248-3581 X 2,509,803 5/50 Booth 267-20 X 2,540,062 1/51 Touborg 230-232X 2,741,425 4/56 Scheldorf 230-232 2,772,047 1l/g6 Sonnberger 230-2322,905,372 9/59 La Flame 230-232 3,089,639 5/63 Hannibal 230-235 FOREIGNPATENTS 626,107 3/ 35 Germany.

847,752 7/49 Germany.

877,618 9/61 Great Britain.

LAURENCE v. EFNER, Primary Examiner.

1. A HERMETICALLY SEALED COMPRESSOR COMPRISING A CYLINDRICAL, FLUIDTIGHT CASING HAVING A VERTICAL TUBULAR WALL, A VERTICAL SHAFTMOTOR-COMPRESSOR UNIT DISPOSED THEREIN, AND MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAIDUNIT IN SAID CASING, SAID MEANS INCLUDING A HELICAL SPRING DISPOSEDBETWEEN SAID TUBULAR WALL AND SAID UNIT, SAID SPRING HAVING ITS AXISLOCATED RADIALLY WITH RESPECTT TO SAID TUBULAR WALL AND HAVING ONE ENDSUBSTANTIALLY FIXED AGAINST ROTATION AND SAID UNIT, AND A BRACKET FORSUPPORTING THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID SPRING, SAID BRACKET BEING ATTACHEDTO THE INTERIOR OF SAID TUBULAR WALL, AND HAVING A VERTICAL FACINGPOCKET ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A COIL OF SAID SPRING IN INTERFERENCE FIT,WHEREBY SAID SPRING IS SUBSTANTIALLY FIXED AGAINST ROTATION, SAID SPRINGAND SAID BRACKET THEREBY SERVING TO RESILIENTLY SUPPORT SAID UNIT IN THEVERTICAL DIRECTION IN SAID CASING.